I'm doing the very same thing--reviewing everything I can get my hands on to be sure we make the very best bistro picks. Besides many of those already mentioned I'm giving heavy consideration to: <BR>Restaurant des Chauffeurs in the 16th near Muette, P'tit Troquet in 6th, A la Biche au Bois in 12th, Au Charpenteirs in 6th and Chardenoux in 11th. Any personal experiences with any of these. It's so hard to commit.

Julie: Seems as though a recent post speculated that Les Chauffeurs, 8 Chaussee de la Muette, may have disappeared recently in a cloud of smoke. Couldn't be found in Les Pages Jaune or by a Fodorite who went looking. Interested in the results of your quest.

Thanks, Alex, for the heads up on Les Chauffers. We've got 11 "meal opportunities" while we're in Paris. Based on planned itineraries and my reading of beaucoup guidebooks on Fodor posts, here's my tentative list. When I'm torn between multiple options, I usually go with the best food/price ratio I find in Zagat. <BR><BR>1st lunch in Les Halles area--Chez Clovis on Rue Berger, a sentimental favorite of ours and a real throwback to the glory days of Les Halles. Alt-Chien Qui Fume around the corner from Chez Clovis. Love the name and it has higher zagat than other picks. Can't predict arrival time for sure or else would try for reservations at Chez Denise. <BR>dinner--Bouillon Racine in 6th. selected for interior and exterior decor, likely fun place for group of 6, Belgian food and beer. <BR><BR>2nd day lunch in Rouen. Several options available. dinner--Chez Vong in Les Halles area off Rue St. Denis, also a sentimental favorite. Prettiest Chinese restaurant we've ever been in and again, good for a party of 6. <BR><BR>3rd day in 16th--since Chauffers now out of picture, will move to second choice, Le Gare. Has poor zagat food rating (10) but interested to see decor, converted rr station. Need to vary bistro theme with something trendy. <BR>dinner--after performance at Opera Garnier, 16 Haussmann. Continues modern, trendy theme of the day. Good Zagat index. Open late. Alternates Pierre la fontaine gallion and cafe Runtz. <BR><BR>4th day lunch, Julien for art nouveau interior and nearness to sites on itinerary. dinner at P'tit Troquet from magazine pictures and good zagat index. <BR><BR>5th day lunch at A la Biche au Bois for location, excellent zagat ratio (21 food and 214ff) and because I tried to go here last time and couldn't fit it in. dinner--Le Violon d'Ingres, a favorite, just plain great. <BR><BR>6th day lunch Chez Maitre Paul a must do after all I've read on the Fodor site. I know I'll be torn when ordering. Trying to decide if there's any way I can pack away two entrees. dinner--Le Regalade with its high Fodorite recs may push out old favorite Chez Julien, a romantic little place near the Seine in the 4th that was a featured venue in Accidental Tourist. <BR><BR>Oh for more time for more meals. Still open to reconsidering based on Fodorite review here.

Toppering

We went to Jamin in January. It is where the Joel Rubechon (spell) legend got started and it is a very fine place. The dinner is a total event, I would plan to spend about 3 hours there. I would also call at least 3 weeks in advance for a reservation. The great thing about Jamin is....unknown to tourists. We ran into a French executive from my husband's company there and he was absolutely shocked, had never seen any foreigners there before. We were treated beautifully. Since the service is slow and each morsel of food custom-prepared, eat a big lunch prior to going. Try the WHITE Chauteauneuf de Pape, a wonderful and rare wine.